MEPs have asked the European Commission to amend legislation on mine and quarry waste to require operators to take out insurance to cover compensation for damage and all remediation costs of restoring a site to its original ecological and chemical status where an accident or malfunction takes place.
The European Parliament was supporting plans for a ban on the use of cyanide in gold mining which strikes a blow at Romania's hopes of running another such mine in the country.
The Parliament voted by 488 votes to 48 to call on the European Commission to propose a complete ban on the use of cyanide technologies before the end of next year.
The moves follow concerns that measures introduced to control the problem since the Baia Mare spill into the Danube in 2000 when 50-100t of cyanide in solution was spilled into the river, affecting around 2,000km of it, are inadequate.
The decision is a blow to Romania's plans to open a new gold mine near Rosia Montana.
The Commission was also asked to encourage redevelopment of areas where cyanide mining is banned through financial support for alternatives.
The MEPs noted that, over the past 25 years, more than 30 major cyanide spills have occurred worldwide and several member states are considering new operations in populated areas.
